Claire's Gluten Free Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1 stick of organic butter

• 1/3 cup organic sugar

• 2 organic eggs, beaten

• 1 cup whole grain organic cornmeal

• 1 cup gluten free flour (best results with 1/2 cup of whole grain oat flour, 1/2 cup GF flour (Trader Joes)

• sprinkle in ground flax & hemp

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions

• Preheat oven 375.

• Melt the butter in a saucepan on the stove.

• Remove from heat and stir in sugar.

• Once cooled, add 2 eggs already beaten.

• Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

• Combine all ingredients, including the buttermilk.

• Stir to combine, but do not over mix.

• Pour into an 8x8, bake for 30-40 minutes.

This recipe is easily doubled for a bid crowd!

Roasted Beet Hummus

Have you ever seen a more beautiful dip?! This hummus is sure to brighten up any salad, snack, or party spread!

Ingredients:

1 small roasted beet

1- 15 oz can chickpeas

1 lemon zested

1/2 lemon juiced

pinch sea salt + black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp cumin

2 tbs tahini

1/4 c organic olive oil

Directions:

To roast beets, its as simple as removing the stem and roots, scrubbing them clean, wrapping them in aluminum foil with a light drizzle of organic olive oil and cooking them at 375 for about an hour or until a fork can easily be inserted.

Once your beets have cooled, combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly add the olive oil until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Who doesn't love sweet potatoes?! They have always been one of my favorite vegetables. It is the perfect source of fiber, potassium, healthy carbs, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. While I have always LOVED baked sweet potatoes, I think I might have found something to beat that: MASHED SWEET POTATOES. 

INGREDIENTS

·      5 or 6 large sweet potatoes (chopped)

·      1 can/14 ounces coconut milk

·      3/4 teaspoon ginger

·      1/2 teaspoon curry

·      2 tablespoons olive oil

·      sea salt & black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

·      Rinse, peel and chop your sweet potatoes into large chunks. 

·      Once your sweet potatoes are prepared, in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Allow the sweet potatoes to simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until they are very soft, then drain the water well. 

·      Next, mash the sweet potatoes to the desired consistency (you can purree them with a hand blender or even in a stand mixer to make them light and airy, or, you can coarsely mash them with a large fork and then add in the coconut milk, ginger, curry, olive oil or vegan margarine, mashing or pureeing these ingredients all together until fully combined. 

·      Taste, and adjust the seasonings to suit your personal taste preference. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Fried Rice w/ Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

• 2 cups cooked brown jasmine rice (certified gluten-free if necessary)

• 2 cups shredded Brussels sprouts

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 2 tablespoons liquid aminos

• 2 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS

Heat a large skillet or wok to medium heat.

Add the sesame oil and minced garlic. Sauté garlic until fragrant, about 20–30 seconds.

Add the shredded Brussels sprouts. Cook for at least 30 seconds without stirring, until they start to brown slightly.

Once they start to crisp up, stir the sprouts, then add the onion and cooked rice. Let sit for 30 seconds before stirring.

Stir the rice mixture, and let cook for at least one minute, until the onion is tender.

Stir in liquid aminos, and cook for 30 seconds more.

Push the fried rice to one side of the pan, add the eggs, scramble and stir into rice mixture.

Caprese Quinoa

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to taste

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 2 cups quinoa

• 4 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 cup red grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise

• 8 ounces, weight fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes

• 24 whole basil leaves

DIRECTIONS

Combine olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and pepper in a jar. Put on the lid and shake vigorously. Set aside.

Prepare the quinoa by bringing 4 cups of water to a boil, then adding the quinoa. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Pour quinoa out onto a baking sheet and spread into a single layer to cool quickly.

Once the quinoa has cooled to room temperature, throw into a large bowl and toss in the tomatoes and mozzarella. Stir gently while adding 2/3 of the dressing. Stir in the basil. After everything is incorporated, give it a taste; add more dressing if it needs it, or reserve the rest of the dressing for another use. Add more sea salt and pepper if needed.

Chipotle Cauliflower Wings

INGREDIENTS

Baked Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower

• ½ C flour (gluten free if desired)

• ½ C water

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Sticky Chipotle Sauce

• ½ C water

• ¼ C tomato paste (no added sugar)

• ¼ C organic raw honey*

• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar

• ¾ tsp chipotle chili powder

• ½ tsp garlic powder

• ¼ tsp paprika

• ⅛ tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp organic corn starch

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450º F. Cut up cauliflower into bite-sized pieces then blanch them. Do this by adding them to a pot of cold water. Over high heat bring the water up to a boil and then immediately drain the cauliflower and run them under very cold water. Once cooled, place your cauliflower onto an absorbent paper towel or dish towel to dry.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, water, and oil and then toss the cauliflower into the bowl until all of the pieces are coated. Place the cauliflower onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 450º F for 18-20 minutes, or until the batter begins to turn golden brown.

While the cauliflower is baking, combine all of the sticky chipotle sauce ingredients, except for the apple cider vinegar, together in a sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat and then simmer for 1 minute while stirring frequently. Then remove from the heat and mix in the apple cider vinegar. Set aside until the cauliflower is done baking.

Once the cauliflower is done, keep it on the parchment-lined cookie sheet, coat it in the sticky chipotle sauce, and then place it back into the oven and bake for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is hot, bubbling, and sticky. Serve immediately.

Stir-Fry Chinese Greens

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil

• 1 pound baby bok choy

• 1 tablespoon tamari

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 1/2 tablespoon raw sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

In a wok or large frying pan, heat the oil over high heat until very hot.

Add the bok choy and stir-fry until they begin to soften slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the tamari, vinegar, and sesame oil, and cook until just done, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

Cauliflower Tortillas

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of cauliflower, cut up and stems removed;

• 2 large eggs;

• ½ tsp. dried oregano;

• ½ tsp. paprika;

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Using a blender or a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until you get a texture finer than rice.

Steam the riced cauliflower over boiling water for 5 minutes.

Place the steamed cauliflower in a dish towel and squeeze out as much excess water as you can. You might want to let it cool for a few minutes first, so you don’t burn yourself. You should be able to get out a lot of water; be really aggressive about squeezing it, or you’ll end up with soggy tortillas later.

Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl. Add in the eggs, oregano, and paprika, and season to taste ( you can use any spices you like).

Separate the mixture into 6 balls of equal size, and spread each ball out on a parchment-lined baking sheet to make six small circles.

Place in the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes; then flip and cook for another 5 minutes.

Reheat in a pan placed over low heat when ready to serve.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Medium Carrots, peeled and diced

• 3 Small Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced

• 10 Baby Potatoes, diced

• 1 Bell Pepper, any or all colors

• 6 cloves of Garlic, 3 cloves peeled and left whole and 3 cloves, peeled and chopped

• 10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved

• 4 Shallots, peeled & quartered or 1 Medium Onion, peeled and cut

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

• 1 teaspoon Rosemary Garlic Salt or Sea Salt

• Pepper, to taste

• 1 Tablespoon minimum of a fresh herb such as Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme or any combination

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and peel all other vegetables into largish chunks. Size consistency is key here so your veggies cook evenly. The bigger the size, the longer the cook time. I keep some garlic cloves whole and I chop some into larger pieces. If you go too small with the garlic, it will burn.

Combine all of your vegetables, including the onion and garlic and put on a roasting pan. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs. Stir to combine making sure all vegetables have been evenly and finely coated.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring at least once, at the thirty-minute mark and again, every fifteen minutes.

Remove from oven and give another dash of salt

Homemade Hummus

 

BEST HUMMUS EVER

INGREDIENTS

·       1/4 cup good-quality tahini

·       4 tablespoons cold water, or more if needed

·       2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

·       1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·       3/4 teaspoon sea salt

·       2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

·       juice of 1 lemon (2–3 tablespoons)

·       1 (15 ounce) can organic chickpeas*, rinsed and drained

INSTRUCTIONS

1.    Add tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor.  Puree until smooth.

2.    Add in the chickpeas.  Puree for 3-4 minutes, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the hummus is smooth.  If it seems too thick, add in another tablespoon or two of water.

3.    Taste and season with additional sea salt, cumin, and/or lemon juice if needed.

4.    Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings.  Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

 

Homemade Ranch Dressing

INGREDIENTS

• 1 clove garlic,

• dash of salt,

• 1/2 bunch chives, thinly sliced,

• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

• lemon juice to taste,

• 16-ounce container strained greek yogurt

DIRECTIONS

Chop garlic, then add a generous pinch of sea salt.
Mash the garlic & salt mixture with the flat side of your knife.
Stir garlic paste, chives, parsley, & lemon juice into
Greek yogurt until well combined. Salt to taste.
Serve w/ cucumber wedges or vegetables of your choice. 

No-Sugar Barbecue Sauce

INGREDIENTS 

• 4 medium tomatoes

• 1 onion

• 3 cloves garlic

• 1 fuji apple

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1 tsp coriander

• 1/2 tsp salt

• pinch of pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos (or Braggs Liquid Aminos)

• 2 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar

• 3 tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS

Dice the tomatoes, onions, garlic and apple (leave the skin on the apple). 

Add all ingredients to a pot. Cover and simmer on medium/medium-low for about 30-40 minutes. You want it simmering, but not boiling.

After 30-40 minutes, all of the ingredients should be cooked and pretty well broken down. It should be starting to look sauce-like, but still a bit on the chunky side. At this point, turn the heat off, remove the bay leaf, and use a blender to blend the sauce.

Mashed Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 garlic clove, crushed approx. 1 tsp.
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp. of chives

DIRECTIONS

Steam cauliflower and puree in a food processor. In sauce pan, heat garlic, coconut oil, coconut milk, salt & pepper.  Pour mixture into the food processor and blend for approx. 10 seconds.  Sprinkle with remaining chives before serving.

Cumin Roasted Carrots

INGREDIENTS  

• I LBS of fresh carrots 
• 1/2 Tbls ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 Tbls coconut oil
• 1/2 fresh lemon 
• a few leaves of fresh parsley & mint, minced to garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400F.  Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash & peel carrots, then cut lengthwise into thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide, put in a large bowl.  In a small sauce pan mix & heat until melted coconut oil, cumin, cinnamon, salt & pepper.  Pour the seasoned coconut oil over the carrots and toss until carrots are evenly coated.  Spread the carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender & slightly browned. Remove from oven and squeeze the fresh lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs. 

Green Goddess Hummus

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon's worth)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• ½ cup roughly chopped, loosely packed fresh parsley
• ¼ cup roughly chopped, loosely packed fresh tarragon
• 2 to 3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives
• 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
• One (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ teaspoon salt, more to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water, optional
• Garnish with extra olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs

DIRECTIONS

1.    First, you'll whip the tahini and lemon juice together to make them ultra smooth and creamy. Combine the tahini and lemon juice in the bowl of your food processor (a smaller food processor will be better suited to the job) or high-powered blender. Process for about 1½ minutes, pausing to scrape down the bowl of your processor as necessary.

2.   Add the olive oil, parsley, tarragon, chives, chopped garlic and salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice mixture. Process for about 1 minute, pausing to scrape down the bowl as necessary.

3.   Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas and process for until the hummus is thick and quite smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes more.

4.   If your hummus is too thick or hasn't yet blended into creamy oblivion, run the food processor while drizzling in 1 to 2 tablespoons water, until it reaches your desired consistency.

5.    Scrape the hummus into a small serving bowl. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil on top and sprinkle with additional chopped herbs.

6.   Store hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Zoodles w/ Avocado Pesto

INGREDIENTS

Noodles:

• 4 medium to large zucchini (or one per person), washed, ends trimmed, skin on, and julienned

Pesto Ingredients:

• Flesh of 1 large, ripe avocado

• 2 cups fresh whole basil leaves (lightly packed)

• 1/3 cup whole raw pine nuts

• 1 large garlic clove, peeled

• 1 teaspoon zest plus juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Use a julienne peeler or mandoline to slice/peel the zucchini into noodles.

Toast the pine nuts in a small sauté pan over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant.  While the pine nuts toast, first place garlic clove in the food processor by itself and pulse about 10 times until it’s finely chopped. Allow the pine nuts to cool before adding them to the food processor. Add the cooled pine nuts and rest of the pesto ingredients except the olive oil to the food processor and pulse until all of the ingredients are finely chopped and incorporated (about 10-15 pulses). Turn the food processor on and stream in the olive oil, blending until combined (about 30 seconds total).

Toss your zucchini noodles with your pesto and serve. This dish is excellent room temperature or chilled.

Tips:

• Add a sprinkle of hemp seeds, chickpeas, nuts or organic chicken breast for added protein to make this a full meal

• Watch the pine nuts closely if you toast them, they’ll burn quickly as they contain a lot of (healthy) fat.

• Subbing 1/2 the basil for arugula, spinach or parsley is a great option.

• Substituting walnuts for pine nuts also tastes great.

• I recommend always using organic ingredients, but especially the lemon here because you are zesting it. Wash it thoroughly, too.

• You can store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; I suggest cutting the “noodles” right before you use them. If you let them sit they can give off too much liquid and become soggy.

• Using 1/2 zucchini noodles and 1/2 whole-grain gluten-free spaghetti noodles is also a fun way to eat this dish.

 

Toasted Edamame

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package frozen edamame (about 16 ounces), shelled or not, your preference

• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled and grated or pressed

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil*

• 1 tablespoon of another healthy oil of your choice – flax, macadamia nut and avocado oil are all great (or, you can use 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil)

• Red chili flakes (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, depending on how spicy you like it)

• Sea salt (about 1-2 teaspoons), large flakes are especially nice here

DIRECTIONS

My favorite way to make this is with edamame still in the shell. I also use 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes.

Bring a large pot of purified water to a boil. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, press the garlic into the bottom of a large mixing bowl then add the toasted sesame oil, red pepper flakes and sea salt. Mix well. Cook the edamame in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Frozen edamame is already cooked, you just need to heat it up. Drain and add the hot edamame to the mixing bowl and toss well with the other ingredients.

Serve warm, room temperature or even cold. Can be kept in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator up to three days.

 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

 

INGREDIENTS

20 Brussels sprouts, trimmed, cleaned and halved

2 teaspoons organic coconut oil

3-4 tablespoons purified water (more or less if needed) sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Melt the coconut oil in a well seasoned cast iron pan over medium high heat. Add all of the Brussels cut-side down and pan roast for about 5 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Salt the Brussels with about 1/2 teaspoon, more or less taste if needed. Carefully add the water to the pan (it will sizzle) and cover the pan tightly. Allow the Brussels to steam about 4-5 minutes to finish cooking. Serve warm or room temperature. These also keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for healthy snacking.